The present invention relates to an improved design in seats and specifically to an articulating, adjustable resistance bike seat, which acts in reducing perineal pressure, providing support to proper parts of the pelvis while allowing seat resistance adjustments while in the process of cycling.
The major problem in the current designs of seats that support a rider when peddling a moveable or stationary bicycle is that a bike seat does not support the body well. Problems arise with pressure on the soft tissue areas of the groin, numbness in the genitalia, pressure and rubbing in the rectal and tail bone area, chafing due to rubbing and excessive surface area contact, and shock absorption among others. Cures for these problems have been tried since the invention of the bicycle. Most bicycle seats are substantially fixed and rigid in design. Proper support while peddling is a critical problem to be overcome.
U.S. Pat. No. D348,785 (1994) to White discloses a design of a bicycle seat with a one-piece design.
U.S. Pat. No. 572,062 (1896) to Peck discloses left and right hinged leaves of a bicycle seat wherein a walking-bar forces the opposite leave up as one leave falls with movements of the rider. Thus an upward force is imparted to one side, the force being directly proportional to the downward force on the opposite side.
U.S. Pat. No. 603,734 (1898) to Peck discloses a bicycle seat with a stationary member to support the riders weight and a left and a right hinged flap of a bicycle seat with a walking bar urging the opposite flap to rise as the alternate flap moves downward.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,668 (1985) to Rouw discloses a bicycle or tricycle seat with left and right buttock support members pivotally attached to the rear end and support in the front end whereby the front end of one of the members moves downwardly by a certain distance, the front end of the opposite member will move upwardly by a proportional amount.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,435 (1992) to Aldi discloses a left and right folding flap to facilitate mounting and dismounting of a bicycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,518 (1998) to Harrison discloses left and right cushions for a bike seat to ease pressure for a rider""s tailbone, soft tissues and genitalia.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,474 (1999) to Lee discloses fixed and adjustable left and right seat support sections with a recess to accommodate the bicycle rider""s genitalia.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,740 (1999) to Caraballo discloses two elongated seat sections with a reciprocating mechanism that causes the sections to move in reciprocal opposite directions.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,683 (2000) to Maier discloses a one-piece bike seat that pivots upward and downward along with a forward and rearward motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,806 (2000) to White discloses a one-piece contoured bike seat to provide support and hygienic safety.
The article xe2x80x9cBicycle riding as a cause of erectile dysfunctionxe2x80x9d (Vol. 14, No. 5, September/October 2000 from YOUR PATIENT and FITNESS) describes bicycle riding as being implicated as a cause of erectile dysfunction in younger men due to trauma to the blood supply and nerves of the penis.
The article xe2x80x9cTHE MALE-SAFE BICYCLE SEATxe2x80x9d found at web site www.wimall.com/rormeister/30.html under bicycle accessories describes a dual action seat with movement in the upward and downward and also side-to-side movements. It also does not provide a stable platform when starting from a stop position or trying to get seated. There is no resistance to movement although the span of movement is adjustable.
What is needed is a bicycle, tricycle and/or unicycle seat that offers the rider body support, allows movement when peddling as the pelvis rocks back and forth, has resistive adjustability and buttock width adjustability to the rider""s physical characteristics, and reduces perineal pressure which can lead to several medical problems, including erectile dysfunction, urethral stricture (scar) disease and chronic epididymitis along with a great degree of discomfort to the rider.
The main aspect of the present invention is a dual part bicycle seat with each seat part moving during the action of peddling.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an adjustable resistance mechanism to the moving parts of the seat.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide for proper pelvic support to the ischial tuberosities when in the act of riding.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide for an adjustable separation between the seat parts to allow for differences in pelvic size.
Another aspect of the present invention is to significantly reduce perineal pressure to reduce the risk of urologic injuries.
Other aspects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.
Bicycle riding has been linked to erectile dysfunction (ref. Article above from xe2x80x9cYOUR PATENT and FITNESSxe2x80x9d) in both racing bicyclists and stationary bikes in their home or gym. This article also points out problems with unicycling and regular biking. The problems are noted to be linked to excessive pressure applied to the perineum, such as occurs when a man rests his weight on a bicycle seat resulting in stress and sexual dysfunction.
The pelvis is a rigid structure with three major attachment points: both hips, and the lumbar spine. In walking, running and peddling actions, the pelvis rocks or swings at the point of connection to the spine, with the hips moving in both a hinging and rolling motion. This motion is especially evident when peddling a bicycle. A standard bicycle seat supports the body by putting pressure on the perineum. The perineum is the area between the testes and the rectum. Chronic perineal pressure leads to several medical problems, including erectile dysfunction, urethral sticture (scar) disease and chronic epididymitis, not to mention discomfort to most riders. Solid support for the pelvis is one in which pelvic motion is restricted. Wider seats help pelvic support but restrict motion, which in turn, reduces the energy applied by the rider and eventually cause discomfort.
Seats with holes or windows in the center have been designed to decrease pressure on the pudendal nerve but have no motion and no support to the ischial tuberosities.
The present invention eliminates these problems. It provides support directly to the ischial tuberosities while supplying motion. The ischial tuberosities are bones located on the underside of the pelvis and are areas where support is desired, especially when in the act of riding. The present invention does not allow for pressure to be applied to the perineal area.
The present invention consists of a seat with two moving parts, each independent of the other. Both parts are padded and can be round or oval in design. Both seat parts provide resistance against the peddling action to allow propulsion without causing the rider to fall forward. The present invention seat can be used for any requirement where a peddling motion is involved. Examples are bicycles, tricycles, unicycles, stationary peddling machines found in the home or gym, etc.
The present invention provides an articulating, adjustable resistance bicycle seat. The resistance is in each independent seat part. The resistance is applied against the downward motion of the seat. This resistance can be designed in various ways including but not restricted to:
a.) A coil spring mechanism (the preferred embodiment) with a variable adjustment. The adjustment having (but not limited to):
1.) a spring adjustment via a hex wrench for tension adjustment similar to a door latch.
2.) a hand thumb screw for tension adjustment similar to a skate key permanently mounted or removable. A permanently mounted design would make xe2x80x9con-the-flyxe2x80x9d adjustments possible.
b.) A torsion bar mechanism with a variable position adjustment.
c.) A hydraulic piston with variable resistance adjustability.
d.) Other designs including leaf springs, non-adjustable leaf springs, etc.
The present invention provides the ability to have a variable resistance allowing the riders flex to be stiffer or softer depending on the adjustment level. When the resistance is decreased, the rider is forced to use more leg strength to remain in the sitting position, resulting in a more strenuous exercise. Thus a higher level of resistance would usually be the most comfortable. The presence of resistance will provide the rider with an energy assist when the leg is moving in the upward position. This action will result in less fatigue to the rider especially when engaged in racing over long periods.
The present invention also provides for an adjustment of the spacing between both seat parts to allow for various pelvic sizes. This adjustment will allow both of the seat parts to be spread apart to seat properly under the riders pelvis according to the pelvis size.